Traffic-signal for automobiles.



F. I. KOCH. 'TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED ).ULY 2l. 1916. 1,244,990.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. 1. KOCH.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR AUToMoBfLEs.

APPLICATION HLED JULY 21.1916. 11,244,990. Patented 001;. 30,1917.

ZSHEETS-SHEET 2.

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:FRED J. KOCH, OF NEW BADEN, ILLINOIS.

TRAFFIC-SIGNAL Fon AUTOMOBILES.

iSpeccation Of Letters Patent. i i .Patentedt 30, 191'?,

i Application led .Tuly 21, 1916'. Serial No. 110,543.

ATo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED J. KOCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Baden, in the county of Clinton, State of Illinois. have invented a newand useful Traffic-Sigmal for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a useful and improved traflic signal for automobiles one to be carried by the forward end of the machine, and another at the rear so as to indicate to the traiic ofcer whether or not the machine will keep straight ahead or will turn to the right or to the left, and to indicate to a` following machine, whether or not theautomobile will turn to the right or the left or slow'up.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means located adjacent the steering wheel, whereby the operator may actuate either the right or the left front signals at the same time with the corresponding signal at the rear.

f Another object of the invention is to provide pedal actuating means for operating both right-and left signals of the rear simultaneously, whereby the operator may signal to the machine ,in the rear, that the intention is to slow up.v

Y Anotherobject of the invention is to proy'vide a casingfifor the signal provided with reflectors therein carrying electric light bulbs and provided with a stencil having arrow shaped Topenings therein, whereby thev which the forward signal is attached) in section. v f

vFig. 2 1s a sectional view on llne 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. v Fig. 4 isa longitudinal sectional4 view on line 4 1 of Fig. 1.,`

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of the tratlic signal. l

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 5. p

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 5. Y

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the forward and rear lights of the forward and roar signals and the electric wiring, and the means for controlling the lights, as arranged adjacent thc steering wheel.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail view in side afmember 3 having diverging arms 4 provided with slots 5, through which the bolts 6 extend and through the inclined portion 2, to secure'the member 3 in position, said bolts 6 being provided with nuts 7 A bolt -8 extends through the ear 9 of the member 3, and pivotcd upon said bolt is a bracket x10, there being a winged nut 11 carried by the bolt, whereby the'bracket 10 may be and pivoted in adjusted positions. The bracket 10 has laterallyextending arms 12 which terminate in L-shaped parts, the vertical portions of which are secured to a casing 14 by the bolts 13. The casing lfl has a closure 15 connected thereto by the h m es 16. The closure 15 consists of a surta le held frame 17 having a vchannel 18, to receive a sheet of glass 19, which'may be any suitable color, preferably ruby red. Carried by the closure is a clip 2O having a thumb screw 21 threaded there-in, and which partly threads into the upper wall of the casing 14, thereby holding the member 15 closed. Carried by a bracket..22 (which is secured at 23 to the inner face of the rear wall of the casing 14) is a reflector casing 24 of the shape shown inthe drawings..l As will be seen, the reflector casing comprises the three compartments 25, 26, and 27. Carried by the front edge of the retlector casing isz a i suitable stencil 28, which is provided with three arrow shaped openings 29, and 31. The central arrow shaped opening 30 is disposed yertically, thereby indicating the straight ahead direction of the automobile. The arrow shaped opening 29 indicates the direction toward the left, while the arrow shaped opening 3l indicates the direction toward the right, that is, when a bulbis lighted behind the respective openings. Threaded in suitable Sockets 32 of the rear walls of said compartments 25, 26 and 27 are the electric light bulbs 33, 34 and 35. rlhe casing of the rear traliic signal, and the closure and the ruby sheet of glass are substantially the same construction as the corresponding parts of the forward traffic signal, and said parts of the rear signal arev designated by the same characters as those of thekforward signal. However, the re- Hector casing 37 of the rear traiiic signal is slightly modified in that the stencil 38 is provided with two arrow shaped openings 39 and 40 and a central circular opening 4l. rlhe ruby glass of thecircular central opening 4l displays a red light, so as to talre place of the usual tail light upon all automobiles, and the bulb behind this ruby glass is always lighted for this purpose, that is,

at night time. rhe opening 39 indicates the direction of the automobile toward the right, and the opening 40 indicates the direction of the automobile toward the left. 'ljhe reflector casing 37 of the rear .trali'ic signal isfurther modified to that of the f forward signal, in that the lower wall of the casing 37 adjacent its central portion has an opening 42, which is covered by a white glass 43 arranged under the flange 44, which also covers the opening 45 in the lower wall of the casing 14 of the rear traiiic signal. Threaded into sockets 46 lof the reflector casing 37 are electric light bulbs 47, 48 and 49. The bulb 47 is behind the opening 39,

. and the bulb 49 is behind the opening. 40,

while the bulb 48 is behind the opening 4l. The reflector casing 37 is secured in the casing 14 of therear traiiic signal by the bracket 22a similar to the bracket 22. The

casing 14 of the rear traiic signal is carried by a bracket 50, which is angular and prowided with a forwardly extending lug 5l having a vertical opening 52, vto receive the vertical portion 53 of the angular arms 54,

the plate 55 of which is secured by bolts 56 i extending flange 58, to which, by means of bolts 59, the usual license number plate 50 inatteso is secured, in such wise as the lightvpenetrating the white" glass 43 may be reliected thereon. Carried bythe three spokes 6l of the steering wheel 62, are three push buttons 63, 64 and 65. rlhe push button 63vis wired by means of the lead 66 to the bulb 33, from which a lead or wire 70 extends ing from the bulb 33 to the bulb 47 is a lead or. wire 72. A suitable wire or lead 72 connects the bulb 47 and the battery 73, and connecting the battery 73 and the push but ton 65 is Ia wire or lead 7 3". Pivotally supported upon the pin 74 of a bearing bracket 75 (which is carried by the licor of the autoniobile) is a foot pedal 76 (which may be connected in any suitable manner, not shown, to the brake mechanism, not shown, for slowing. up the automobile) having its arm v77 provided with a strap 82, which is constructed of any suitable insulating rnaterial. This strap 82 is secured upon the arm 77 by means of a bolt 83, which also secures a contacting terminal 842L in place. This terminal 84a is designed to coperate with the terminal 78, which is carried by the basey plate 79, which in turn is supported upon the insulating block 80, which is secured to the tioor of the automobile. Extending from the contactingl terminal 78 and connected to the lead or wire 73a is a lead or wire 87. Connected to the terminal Contact 84 (which is secured between the.V

ears 85 of said strap 82) is a wire or lead 86, which in turn is connected at 86a to the wire or lead 71a. The push button 64 is con# nccted to the bulb 34 by means of the leads or wires 67, there being a battery 68. EX- tending from the bulb 48 are two wires or leads 48a, which wires or leads may be connected to the usual tail lamp wiring and battery, including the switch (all of which are not shown), so that when the switch not shown is operated to close the circuit with the bulb 48, the tail lamp or bulb 48 (which is reliected through the ruby glass and through the opening in the bottom of the casing upon the license number) will remain lighted at all times during the night, thereby taking the place of the usual tail lampupon automobiles. The wiringin Fig. 10 may be carried out in any suitable manner, for instance, it may be connected to the magneto circuit, or otherwise installed. Each of thev buttons 63, 64 and 65 is connected to the respective spoke of the steering wheel by means of a clamping plate 91- and screw 92.

Referring to the drawings, it is to be seen that by pressing the button 64, the bulb 34 will light, indicating to the traflic oicer that the direction vof the machine or automobile is straight ahead. When pressing the button 65, it is to be seen that by traclng the circuit over the wires or leads 69, 72, 72a and 73, the bulbs 35 and 47 will light, thereby indicating by the arrows, to the traliic oliieer in front of the machine or automobile and the following machine or automobile, that the automoblle will turn to the right. By depressing the button 63 and tracing the circuit over the wires 66, 49a and 71a and 70, the bulbs 33 and 49 will light, thereby indicating by the arrows in front of these bulbs that the automobile will turn to the left. When it is desired yto indicate to the -driver ,of a machine following in the r'ear that the forward machine is to slow up, the operator applies his foot to the plate 90 ofthe foot pedal 76, applying the brakes, and at the same time lightingboth bulbs 47 and 49 without lighting the bulbs 33 and 35, thereby indicating that the automobile is to slow u By tracing the circuit when the pedal 7 6 1s depressed, it is to be seen that both lamps 47 and 49 will light, without actuating the bulbs 33 and 35. A good driver, lwhen signaling to the traiic oiicer and a following machine, when it is the intentionto turn to the right or the left, will instantly impart the proper signal, and then instantly sub'- sequently impart the slowing up signal to the following machine.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is In a traiiic signal, a casing provided with an open face and having a closure forsaidopen face, a support for said casing, a/reiector casing within the first casing and provided with three compartments,"each having illuminating means therein, said closure consisting of a rectangular frame having an elongated rectangular opening, the inner marginal edge of which extends inwardly toward the refiector casing, a colored glass secured in the opening of the frame of the closure, ,a stencil clamped between the inwardly extending marginal edge of 'the openin of the closure frame and the marginal e ge of the reector casing, said stencil having three openings, one for each compartment, and each indicatingy a different signal, and means for supporting the reectr casing within the first casing.

In testimony ,whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED a'. noon.

Witnesses JOHN Son'mm, l FRED Baum. 

